Folding partition



Dec.V 2s, 192e. 1,612,499

F. T. ETHEREDGE FOLDING PARTITION Filed Sept. 2.6, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l 6 l n E y /f`7 @i A5 72%' INVENTOR 5a FRAA/c/.sZ'fT/-IEREDGE Dec. 28 1926.

F. T. ETHEREDGE FOLDING PARTITION Filed Sept. 26 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FRANC/s 7T FTHEREDGE mf fm Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS T. ETHEREDGE, 0F SOUTH NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE JQ G. WILSON CORPORATION, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

FOLDING PARTITION.

Application led September 26, 1925. -Serial No. 58,898.

This invention relates to folding partitions or doors which slide along overhead on floor guideways or tracks.

As is well known to those 'skilled in the art, it is highly important that the doors of the folding partition when folded shall be held securely from movement in either direction along the guiding track or tracks. That is, the doors should be locked from movement along the tracks away from that side of the doorway adjacent to which the doors are folded and the doors should also be held firmly in spacedrelat'ion to each other.

The principal object of the present invention is to improve the construction and mode of operation of folding partitions and to provide novel and improved devices for holding the doors of such partitions from movement along the tracks when the doors are folded. K

With this object in View, the invention comprises certain novel and improved features, constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The invention will be clearly understood from the. accompanying drawings illustrating the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the construction therein Shown.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 represents an unfolded six panel partition. in front elevation;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section through the partition when folded;

Figure 3 is a' vertical section at right angles to the ceiling track and the partition panel, showing an upper roller and spacing and locking means;

Figure 4 is a section through the ceiling track showing a panel in folded position;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken just below the ceiling track and showing part of the panels folded and part unfolded;

Figure 6 is a horizontal section through the ceiling track taken just above the rollers and showing the panels in folded positions; and

Figure 7 is a View in front elevation partly in section showing the panels in folded positions.

As shown in the drawings, the partition is divided into hinged doors or panel sections, each made up of two panels hinged together, the left hand panel of each section being shown at 1 and the right hand panel at 2. Panel 1 of the extreme left hand scction is permanently anchored to the floor and ceiling and turns on the pivot pins 13 and 14 illustrated in Figures 1 and 7, while the panel 2 of said section is mounted for combined sliding and swinging movement along the tracks. Both panels of each of the remaining sections are mounted on the tracks for sliding and swinging movement. The right hand upper corner of panels 2 and the left hand 'upper corner of panels 1' (with the exception of panel 1 of the extreme left hand section) are provided with horizontal rollers 4 which run in the overhead track 3 and turn on the pivot bolts 5. The panels are provided at their lower outer corners with caster bolts carrying casters 5a,which run on floor tracks 5b, the bolts forming pivots for the panels.

The bolt 5 of the panel 1 of each section, except the extreme left hand section, is arranged to carry a locking dog for locking said panel from movement along the track, this bolt forming a pivot for the locking dog.

Each of the bolts 5 which carries a locking A dog is pivotally mounted in a frame 6 which is attached to the panel 1 as shown in Figure 3. A spring 7 connects the frame G with each of the bolts 5 and tends to rotate the bolt in a counter-clockwise direction when viewed from above as is shown in Figure 5.

A locking dog for locking each panel 2 is rigidly mounted on each of the rotatable bolts 5 and rotates with the bolt. This locking dog cooperates with a rack 9'which is mounted along the ceiling track and slightly below it and the rotation of the bolt 5 and locking dogS under the intiuence of the spring 7 tends to cause the dog to engage with the rack. In order to maintain the locking dog normally out of engagement with the rack 9 so that the sections may jacent the top of certain ot said panels to space the margins of the salne remote from the hinged edges when in folded position, and spacing devices mounted on certain of the panels below the top thereof to space the lower portions of the panels when folded.

4. In a 'folding partition, a series of separate sections each comprising two panels hinged together, a track on whichthe panels are mounted for sliding.and swinging movement, spacing devices mounted adjacent the top of certain of said panels for spacing the margins of the same remote from the hinged edges when in folded position, spacing devices mounted on certain' of the panels below the top thereof for spae ing the lower portions of said panels when folded, and loe-king means actuated by the folding of the panels for preventing move-- ment of the panels in one direction along the track when folded. e

5. In a folding partition, a series of panels, a track on which said panels are mounted for sliding and swinging movement, pivot bolts mounted on the panels and engaging in the track, spacing devices mounted on certain of the pivot bolts for spacing the panels when folded, locking dcviccs mounted on certain of the pivot bolts and movable with relation to the corresponding panels, means located along the track to he engaged by said locking devices to lock the panels from movement in one direction along the track when in folded positions, means tending yieldingly to carry said locking devices into engagement with said means, and stops located on the respective panels for controlling said locking devices.

G. In a folding partition, a series of separate sections each comprising two panels hinged together, a track on which the panels are mounted for sliding and swinging movement, and means for spacing the panels when folded, comprising a spacing plate mounted on a panel of one section and curved in an are substantially concentric with the are of swinging movement of said panel and arranged to be engaged with the adjacent panel of the next previously folded section.

Signed atl Norfolk. Virginia, this 18th day of September, 1925.

FRANCIS T. ETHEREDGE. 

